Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Basil Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Mexican Basil The company, Siga Logistics de RL de CV located in Morelos, Mexico, which provides basil widely in the United States, has become the major focus of attention by the FDA in its efforts to uncover the source of a major Basil Cyclospora outbreak.  The outbreak, which includes at least 132 victims with 4 requiring hospitalization, is in its infancy.  According to one expert, Cyclospora attorney Ron Simon, “this is just the beginning. Most victims are not tested for Cyclospora because it is a tropical parasite.  But now that word has gone out, the…

One of the most commonly experienced signs of food poisoning is diarrhea. This is brought on by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection within the intestinal tract. It is important to note however, that not all diarrhea is infectious. People with conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, immune deficiencies, and others, may experience noninfectious, prolonged diarrhea because of their condition. Nevertheless, the ingestion of contaminated or spoiled food is commonly followed by severe diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting. These symptoms can be important indicators from your body that you are suffering a foodborne illness. If you suspect this,…

Cavi Brand Papaya Salmonella Outbreak: Cavi Papaya Direct Link to Salmonella Uganda Outbreak After issuing a warning on all papaya imported from Mexico, due to a Salmonella Uganda contamination, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) are now confident that only one brand is to be avoided, Cavi brand papayas. These fresh, whole papayas are imported from Mexico and have only one distributor here in the states. Agroson’s LLC, of the Bronx, New York, has been in contact with health officials and are aware of the salmonella strain contamination. Although authorities indicate…

Four Things to Remember When Cooking Out this Summer Warm weather, friends, and family are a perfect scenario for a good time but unfortunately, also for food borne illnesses. The CDC published that nearly 48 million people become sick from food borne illnesses each year with a significant amount of these occurring during the summer months. The reasons for this are that bacteria thrives in heat and most people are less careful with their food preparation when cooking out. However, the unpleasant and dangerous effects of food illnesses can easily be prevented by taking a few important precautions this summer…

Deadly Pork Disease Spreads across China, Causing both Domestic and International Issues  China produces nearly half of the world’s pork. Since August, of China’s 500 million pigs, it has been reported that roughly a million pigs have died from the contraction of a little-known disease, although some figures suggest much more. Due to China’s non-compliance to send pig tissue for outside lab analysis, there is no definitive diagnosis. Consequently, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is pushing for China to seek outside laboratory assistance to analyze the disease. Scientists have referred to cases of the virus as “Blue-ear Pig…

Northfolk Bison E. coli Outbreak: E. coli O121 and O103 Identified in Ground Buffalo Meat Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam…but please, hold the E. coli contamination. A Canadian Company out of St. Leonard, Quebec, that distributes buffalo burgers and ground bison is connected to an E. coli outbreak here in the United States. At least twenty-one people have become ill from a strain of E. coli identified as O121 and O103. The twenty-one sickened individuals hail from seven states across the eastern and central United States. At least eight were hospitalized. As a part of the investigation,…

Pita Pal Foods Listeria Recall:   Recall of Hummus products due to Listeria Concerns Pita Pal Foods announced on July 15th that they would be voluntarily recalling certain hummus products due to a concern over Listeria monocytogenes which were identified at the manufacturing facility during an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall is on more than 80 hummus products made between May 30, 2019 and June 25, 2019. The possibly affected brands include Bucee’s, Fresh Thyme, Harris Teeter and Schnucks. The affected products were distributed nationwide and to the United Arab Emirates. No illnesses have been connected…

Recent Washington State Salmonella Outbreak May be tied to a Larger National Outbreak linked to Turkey Washington state has recently been tied to a multi-state raw turkey salmonella outbreak. In particular, the bacteria known as Salmonella Reading has made more than 350 people ill in over 40 states nationwide. Of these individuals exposed to this all too common bacterium, nearly one-third became ill enough to receive hospital care. Although the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recognized the outbreak to be over back in April of 2019, they are continuing to evaluate other cases of illness caused by this serotype, or,…

Contaminated Papaya Shed Light on Significant Safety Gap A recent outbreak of illness caused by salmonella contaminated papayas are adding to the conversation had by many in the food safety industry. In the efforts made to keep consumers informed about food-related health risks, there are wide gaps that need addressing. The term ‘blanket statement’ is used to describe how many recalls are currently handled and it is not used in a warm, fuzzy way. The term is meant to describe the inability to pinpoint an outbreak to one manufacturer, producer or farmer, and the practice of then issuing a blanket…

NanoPack Project: Bioprotection from Food Pathogens through Active Packaging   Nanotechnology, which operates using specific target materials on the nano scale, has quickly become a popular topic of research across many disciplines. The Food and Drug Association (FDA) in particular has facilitated a broad spectrum of Nanotechnology research in an effort to prevent food-borne illnesses and preserve food in just the past few years. NanoPack Project is heading up the use of nanotechnology in food packaging by using antimicrobial materials to prevent the formation of pathogens. In fact, the European Union (EU) awarded over $7 million in funding towards the…